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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Snooping Police Officer Had Prior Disciplinary Problems

After reading the disciplinary record for a Capitol Police officer who resigned after he was accused of sleeping on the job and rummaging through Governor Mitch Daniels' personal belongings while assigned to provide security at the governor's residence, you have to wonder why he was still on the job. The Star details the disciplinary record of Officer Mike Bates, which the Star didn't identify by name in their story because he hasn't been charged with a crime, even though the whistle blower they interviewed identified him and local televisions news stations have already named him:

Disciplinary records released Wednesday in response to a public information request show the other officer had been suspended three times since he joined the department in 2004. The Indianapolis Star is not identifying the other officer because he has not been charged with a crime.

In 2007, that officer was suspended for three days for leaving his post at the governor's residence on three occasions.

The officer was suspended in June 2009 for three days for failing to report an accident involving a police vehicle. In February, the officer was suspended for five days for getting involved as a police officer in a family matter that wasn't an emergency or a crime in progress.

No disciplinary action was taken against Craig in the year he worked for the Capitol Police. The State Police oversee the Capitol Police, whose job is to protect state buildings and monuments.

State Police spokesman 1st Sgt. Dave Bursten said Wednesday he could not answer questions about why the officer continued to patrol the governor's residence after the 2007 suspension or why the officer was allowed to keep his job after three disciplinary actions in a five-year period.

Bursten said the officers are subjects of a criminal investigation but declined to give details. When the investigation is finished, Bursten said, the findings will be turned over to the Marion County prosecutor.

The whistle blower, Officer Bradley Craig, resigned his job after he was reassigned duties. "I cannot continue to work for an agency that is more focused on protecting its image of the agency than it is on doing the right thing," Craig wrote in an e-mail explaining his resignation. Craig told the Star that Bates "usually went straight to sleep an hour into the shift and woke up an hour before it ended." The story notes Governor Daniels does not typically stay overnight in the home, although he and his wife occasionally spend the night there. One of his daughters also lived there for a few months. The governor frequently conducts meetings there, as well as special events that are hosted in the home.

1 comment:

"Star details the disciplinary record of Officer Mike Bates, which the Star didn't identify by name in their story because he hasn't been charged with a crime, even though the whistle blower they interviewed identified him and local televisions news stations have already named him."

Huh? The Star identifies people who are accused of wrongdoing all the time. The only time they don't is if the person is a minor.Examples are Jeff Cox and Carlos Lam. Both were accused of wrongdoing that didn't result in criminal charges. I think the Star published both accusations with the people's name.

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